Mermaids in Palus (Chapter 3: Terror of the Merelands)

[Black Clay Lord]

Chapter 3 for Mermaids in Palus

Little bit of horror to this one, which makes it my 1st attempt.

I don't typically use horror elements, but I have at least tried.
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Southward bound they traveled. Aquarius & Fontanne stepped into some more unfamiliar territory. Blanketed with fog as far as the eye can see. The sisters had entered the Merelands of Stroic. A most foreboding place indeed. More so than even the Hollows. Sensing a huge feeling of dread about this place, Aquarius shivered. Her face started to look a bit pale, her legs shook, and her heart pounded in her chest, almost as if finding its way into her throat.

"I-I-I can't do this!" She suddenly decided. Trembling, Aquarius turned to leave. "But what about your friends in the Northern Wastelands?" Fontanne asked. "It's not worth getting scared to death out here!" Aquarius exclaimed. However, she was stopped before she could begin turning back. "Where are you going?" Asked a voice. "I'm afraid to go on..." Said Aquarius, her voice packing a high pitch. Fontanne blinked upon hearing the new voice.

Looking into the fog, she saw a ghostly specter floating harmlessly. "Are you the one who said that?" Fontanne asked. "Yes, yes." Said the specter. "Just follow your feet, trail the fog at its lightest." It went onto say. "It will guide you to light." Fontanne turned to Aquarius. "Come on, we can get back north through this way." She said. "Do it for Ajax." Aquarius soon turned around. "All... All right..." She said meekly. "But I'm still really scared about this place..."

With all their courage piled up in their hearts, Fontanne & Aquarius braved the foggy marsh, and crept through the foreboding realm. Fontanne formed a torch to illuminate the area around them to cut the fog's blocking view down some. Admittedly, she wasn't sure if it would work or not, but, sure enough, it did indeed. But to Aquarius? It was a waking nightmare. She was reminded of the terrors around some of Olympus's own foreboding & dangerous areas.

The Dread Swamp, Bald Mountain, Devil's Bayou, especially the Forsaken Valley; the continent's land of the dead itself. But, her feet, and Fontanne's, lead the way. Still, Aquarius was so tense, that she was anything but calm around here. Anything could appear from the fog at a moment's notice, and that's what's got her so afraid. But, the sisters traveled on. Soon, they heard a voice once more. "Don't lose yourself here." It said, making Aquarius jump up, startled.

Fontanne turned, and spotted another specter. "Another specter?" Fontanne asks. "Yes, yes." It said. "A ghastly black knight hunts this place. Come for you he will, get lost if you do." It went onto say. "Ghastly black knight...?" Aquarius asked, quivering more. That's the last thing she wanted to hear apparently. "But... Strong you appear. You should be fine." The specter said. Fontanne nodded to this. She lead Aquarius on through the Merelands once again.

As they traveled, Fontanne kept her torch active, noting that the thickness of the fog fluctuated. One minute it looked thin, and then the next, it became so thick, that it was very hard to even see the ground. But, as they traveled, the ground beneath their feet started to get squishy. Then, suddenly, Aquarius's foot sank below the earth, causing her to yelp as it happens. Fontanne looked back. "Sis?" She said, and sees Aquarius having started to sink.

"Why'd quicksand have to appear beneath my feet now of all times?!" Aquarius asked, panicked. "Settle down!" Fontanne exclaimed as she turned to her sister, who was sinking without pause, but rather slowly fortunately enough. However, Aquarius, clearly scared and wanting to pass through the Merelands asap, found it hard to keep herself calm as she sinks into the quicksand. Fontanne knew that she needed to calm Aquarius down. And had to do it fast.

And already, the quicksand was at Aquarius's knees. Fontanne set her torch down and grabbed Aquarius's hands, pulling gently as she tugs her older sister forward through the quicksand. Fortunately, Aquarius was pulled out safely, and quickly. Fontanne picked her torch up soon after, finding it still alight fortunately. However, the squishiness of the ground started to become more frequent as the sisters continued their path through the Merelands right away.

Fontanne's face suddenly started twitching. "Oh no... My nose itches...!" She said. Fontanne tried to fight the itch, but it was no good. Fontanne's body suddenly gave way to something else upon stopping for a moment. Try as she might to prevent, it was inevitably pointless, as before Aquarius could do anything, Fontanne sneezed. Loudly. Loud enough to startle a colony of bats nearby and cause them to fly & swarm about, freaking the sisters out.

Screaming & flailing, Aquarius & Fontanne bolted to get away from the bats, hiding behind a rather sizeable tree. The swarm of bats flew right past the duo harmlessly. And soon, the swarm had flown past completely, having found another part of the Merelands to roost. Fontanne checked to see if the coast was clear. But, she then heard metallic footstomps. "That sounds like a knight..." She said. "Is it... The black knight?!" Aquarius asks, frightened again.

"I don't know," Said Fontanne. "But I'd rather not wait to find out!" She exclaimed as she & Aquarius ran out from their hiding spot, getting back on the path, and resuming their way. The sisters soon find themselves going north. So far so good, they remain on the path where the fog was at its thinnest so they could see where they were going. Having heard the steps of the black knight earlier, Aquarius & Fontanne both make something most abundantly clear.

Now more than ever, they feel that it's in their best interest to escape the Merelands as soon as possible. Aquarius noted that the fog was letting up some. They were getting close to the end of their path. "Sweet mercy..." Aquarius said, starting to settle down. Fontanne soon spotted a quicksand pit nearby. "This looks like a good place to rest." She said. Aquarius nodded in agreement, and the sisters proceeded to step forth into the waiting quicksand.

Almost immediately however, they sank to their butts. The sink gave Aquarius a sense of calm immediately. As they sink however, they are eventually greeted by a 3rd specter. "Another specter..." Fontanne says. "My friend asked me to tell you something he forgot to mention." It said. "What is it?" Fontanne asks. "Beware the Goddess of the Hunt Artemis." It said. "Uh... Goddess of the Hunt?" Fontanne & Aquarius ask in perfect unison, blinking.

"Yes, yes. If you see her, flee. Run as fast as you can." Said the specter, before vanishing into the blackness. "Wait! What else is there to know about her?!" Fontanne asks, but was only greeted with silence. "Dang, it disappeared..." She said. Aquarius smiled nervously. "Uh, w-we've met Aphrodite & Demeter earlier, so she'll be friendly towards us, right?" She asked, clearly unnerved, eye twitching. "I sincerely doubt it." Fontanne said, uncertain.

Nevertheless, Fontanne & Aquarius sink to their breasts. However, this is where they stop sinking. "Bottom already?" Fontanne asked, sounding annoyed. "What a waste..." Aquarius said. "Well, I think we should keep going." Aquarius then said. "Yeah. Maybe we'll do better at our ultimate destination." Fontanne said in agreement, as they climb out of the quicksand and shake themselves clean. Suddenly, the metallic footsteps broke the silence once again.

Fontanne shined her torch to where they came from. And sure enough... She & Aquarius spotted a ghastly black knight, setting its sights on them. Aquarius gasped in horror. "It's the Black Knight!!" She shouted. "RUN FOR IT!!!" Fontanne screamed as she & Aquarius turned tail & ran, but not before the latter blasted the knight with two shots of her Aura spell before running away as well. The Black Knight however, chased after the two.

Aquarius & Fontanne ran for their dear lives, with the knight in hot pursuit; sword in hand. The sisters found another large tree and quickly made for it, hiding themselves behind it. The knight stepped up not long after, searching for Fontanne & Aquarius. Scared out of their wits, the 1/2 Mermaids did their best to keep from doing anything that would alert the black knight to their location. But they quickly learn that the knight was a persistent one indeed.

It sensed Aquarius & Fontanne close by, pacing back & forth as it looked around for the 1/2 Mermaids. Realizing this, Aquarius & Fontanne move across their hiding spot quietly, hoping to sneak past the ghastly knight. Tiptoeing back onto the path, Fontanne lead the way, and glanced at the knight. Aquarius did so as well, before looking back to her sister. "Go, go..." She whispered. She & Fontanne resumed their way forward. Aquarius noted something else.

There was a speck of light up ahead. She was elated. "There's the exit!" She exclaimed, but accidentally alerting the knight to her & Fontanne's presence. "Whoopsie..." Said Aquarius. "C'mon! We're almost there!" Fontanne said, her & Aquarius running as the knight chased after them once more. With the wind at their backs, Aquarius & Fontanne ran, but in their haste, Fontanne stumbled, and tripped forward, spraining her ankle as she rolled forward.

She mercifully stopped however, but Aquarius was horrified. "Fontanne!!" She cried, racing over to her sister. "Ngh... I'm all right... It's just a sprain..." Fontanne groaned. But the sprain was the least of their problems. The knight has caught up to the 1/2 Mermaids. Terrified, but unwilling to leave her sister behind, Aquarius armed herself with her Dragon Yari, as if prepared to fight the ghastly knight. The knight raised its blade, but then it froze up suddenly.

"Huh?" Aquarius tilted her head, confused as to why it wasn't attacking her. Even more puzzling was when the knight backed off, and retreated. Aquarius blinked as her sense of terror dropped some, only to then skyrocket as she saw the reason why the knight fled: From the nearby shadows, she spotted a 3rd Goddess of Palus: This was the Huntress Artemis. As she gazed upon Aquarius & Fontanne, the former, unable to control her fear, started crying.

She immediately jumped onto her sister Fontanne to shield, fearful of what Artemis was going to do. However, she decided not to do anything, having judged Aquarius & Fontanne as not being a threat to the world on which she hunts. "The path you walk is further ahead." She suddenly says. Aquarius was confused. "You... You're letting us go...?" She asked. Artemis nodded. "I have no reason to hunt you two." She said. "Now, go." She then said bluntly.

Aquarius picked her sister up, and continued on the path as Artemis looked on. Those two are not from here. She thought, before deciding not to concern herself with the issue. Aquarius & Fontanne then pass through the dark Merelands, and out into the light. At last, the sisters made it out of the Merelands safely. Finding a spot to rest, Aquarius & Fontanne treated the latter's sprained ankle right away. "That was way too close..." Fontanne says, sighing.

"Maybe we should just cancel the trip & go home..." Aquarius said, sounding defeated. "Sister? We can't give up now." Fontanne said. Before Aquarius can respond, someone called out from up north. "Hey there!" Said a voice. "Huh? Hey, I know that voice..." Said Aquarius. And sure enough, someone she recognized came into view. Long purple hair? Muscular physique? Handsome hunk? Yep, that was none other that Ajax, the son of Garnet.

Aquarius spotted Ajax, and her face just lit up. "AJAX!!!" She happily cried out, making for a beeline for her friend. She then jumped at him, arms wide open, and Ajax immediate returned the favor. He then captured Aquarius in a hug. "It's good to see you, Aquarius!" He said, smiling. Aquarius just nodded happily, tears of joy streaking down her face. She was soon set down, and Ajax noticed Fontanne. "Hmm? Who's that?" He asks.

"That's my sister Fontanne." Aquarius said. "Hey there." Fontanne said. "We... Just escaped the Merelands..." She then says. "That haunted place?" Ajax asked. "Yeah, and we had a close encounter with this ghastly black knight..." Aquarius said. "He was just really scary!!" She then cried. Though Ajax stopped her. "Well you're safe now." He said. "Hey... Are you returning to the Northern Wastelands?" Fontanne asks. Ajax nodded in confirmation.

"I am." He says. Fontanne tries to stand up, but is unable to do so properly. However, Ajax suddenly lifted Fontanne off her feet, carrying her bridal style. "Oh... Oh my..." She said, blushing. "You two come with me." He said, smiling. "You must be shaken up from all that..." "You have no idea..." Aquarius said, quivering as she traveled alongside her friend as he carried her sister in his arms. Fontanne & Aquarius were relieved to see Ajax after such a journey.

His presence clearly meant they were on the right track, and at last, Aquarius was reunited with her friend, and pretty soon, she'll be seeing the rest of Ajax's family. But will she get a nice big welcome? She wouldn't know right away, but one thing was certain: She was happy that her path has guided her & Fontanne to their ultimate destination. At least, as far as meeting a good friend midway was concerned. Nevertheless, one thing was very much certain.

Aquarius was glad to be back in the sun. As was Fontanne. But will these two see some reprieve from their journey?

TO BE CONTINUED

Aquarius & Fontanne: Me

Ajax & Artemis: Sabbie